Traffic Movements at Sedgeley Junction 1962-1963 (Part 6)

This is one of a series of posts describing traffic movements I observed whilst unofficially working Sedgeley Junction signal box.

As described in Part 1, you can find the passenger timings here and the freight timings here. The notes are intended to go with a copy of the Train Register Book which is missing so, forty seven years later, the meaning of some of the original notes is not very clear. The original notes appear in italics with minimal editing, sometimes followed by my recent comments attempting clarification. The numbers in brackets have been added to assist in locating entries.

Sedgeley Jn. Sat 23rd February 1963

(1) The down ‘Western’ at 7.25 a.m. is set 317.
(2) The up Local gets the full treatment – red flag, red handlamp. He just manages to stop in time. The driver and guard are verbally informed [of what?]. The Dudley end of the unit is number 56184.
(3) The down Dudley Port local is set 108 – today, a Driving Trailer with a ‘Bubble Car’ at the rear.
(4) The ‘Western’ comes up – a 3-car unit on set 312. Dudley shows that he knows the ‘3 pause 3 pause 5’!
(5) Dudley takes the returning up Dudley Port with the ‘3 pause 5 pause 5’ (‘Under the Warning’). The train seems to get lost while we are waiting to warn him, eventually appearing and hooting crossly as he passes the box.
(6) The ‘Western’ (set 312) goes down.
(7) The up Walsall at 8.32 is slowed as we wait for the road from Dudley but nonetheless, the driver acknowledges us in a friendly fashion as he passes.
(8) The Parcels comes up with the road set towards the loop but Dudley decides to take him up the main ‘Under the Warning’.
(9) On the down 48733, a ‘Class 8’ with a Fowler tender, is the engine off T39 running tender first.
(10) Behind him is another down light engine – 48539 facing Bescot.
(11) The Western Parcels comes up but Dudley is not yet in a position to ‘Take’ him. We attempt to bring the Parcels ‘Under Control’ at the up Home, then clear the signal and display both a red flag and a red lamp at the box. The Parcels sails right by but the guard notices and waves to us then the driver stops and sets back to wait at the box. Adding insult to injury, while this is going on Dudley now accepts the train ‘Under the Warning’, so we’re able to give the Parcels a green flag and watch him disappear towards Dudley.
(12) The down ‘Walsall’ is stopped while the two light engines clear the down line at Great Bridge. The DMU guard carries out ‘Rule 55’ and “signs the book”.
(13) T47 is to go up the Loop. 44910 is the train engine sounding more like a ‘Super D’ with a very odd exhaust. In contrast, 48733 (T39) banking sounds like a real engine with a crisp exhaust.
(14) The nine o’clock down is set 108 again.
(15) The up ‘Walsall’ is now vehicle 56162.
(16) We refuse the Parcels (from Dudley Port?) until the down ‘Walsall’ has passed. Then we accept the Parcels and bring it to our home, refusing the down freight until we’ve had ‘Obstruction Removed’ (from Dudley Port?). We get the Parcels away (to Dudley?) – 46457 with one ‘BG’.
(17) The down freight initially refused above is ‘WR1’. A handful of wagons, double-braked with two BR brake vans and 48734 on the front.
(18) The Parcels goes down to Dudley Port fairly early.
(19) The ‘Walsall’ goes up.
(20) The ten o’clock down runs by late (set 326, a 3-set).
(21) The up ‘Western’ is set 108.
(22) T39 goes down to Great Bridge with three Ferry wagons, BBCs, Plate, ‘Hybar’ and an LMR brake.
(23) Set 108 passes on the down, heading for Snow Hill.
(24) 3H47 comes to a stand on the down while we run the Dudley Port – Dudley Parcels (engine, two vans and a ‘BG’).
(25) Since it’s briefly got rather foggy, we refuse the up ‘Walsall’ until the Parcels has cleared Dudley.
(26) The parcels engine returns down and is sent to Bescot, as the up ‘Western’ (another 3-set, set 312) follows the ‘Walsall’ up the bank.
(27) The train of tanks on the down is headed by 92210.
(28) The Engine and Brake on the down is 48459 tender first dragging a BR brake, reported as ‘WR2’.
(29) The 12 o’clock down is set 312 (the 3-car unit).
(30) The up ‘Western’ is still set 108.
(31) T65 goes up with 45263 on the front of a train of scrap, coal, slack, box van, tube wagons and a BR brake and 45336 (T63) banking.
(32) Soon, 45336 returns downhill ready for his next duty.
(33) The up ‘Saturdays Only’ ‘Western’ is set 326.
(34) The one o’clock down is set 108 with one driver.
(35) The light engine on the down is 48516 facing Bescot.
(36) The up ‘Western’ at 1.22 p.m. is set 308, a 3-car unit.
(37) ‘WR1’ goes up with a train of slack behind 48724. 45336 (T63) provides assistance.
(38) A train of ‘Pools’ passes on the down with 44910 in charge and an LMR brake on the end.
(39) T63 comes up with his own train this time – about 10 tube wagons, two loads of coal and an LMR brake.
(40) The 3-car DMU (set 308) forms the two o’clock down ‘Western’.
(41) Set 108 is the up ‘Western’ at 2.20 p.m.
(42) At 2.24, having disposed of his train, T63 (45336) propels his brake down the bank.
(43) ‘WR2’ comes up the bank, into the loop. ‘8F’ 48459 is on the front, emitting plenty of black smoke, but T63 on yet another banking turn is only showing exhaust steam at the chimney.
(44) On the down, the Engine and Brake is T65 (turned), blowing steam from the injector overflow, dragging his LMR brake.
(45) At three o’clock, set 108 heads downhill once again for Snow Hill.
(46) Set 308 (the 3-car unit) comes up the bank for Dudley.

Sedgeley Jn. Sat 9th March 1963

(1) T39 goes up with 42974 hauling four vans, an open wagon, one load of scrap, three ‘BBCs’ loaded with square-section bar, a tube wagon and a BR brake.
(2) The down ‘Western’ at 7.25 a.m. is set 320.
(3) At 7.37, the up ‘Walsall’ comprises vehicles 50402 (Dudley end) and 56162 (Walsall end).
(4) The down Dudley Port local is a Western twinset – set 111.
(5) The 8.00 a.m. up ‘Western’ is set 308.
(6) We manage to get the “back ‘un” off for the up Dudley Port local but there’s not one passenger aboard – he might as well be ‘Empty Stock’!
(7) Control says “There’s trouble at Pleck. Try to ring when the Tanks are offered”. However, there’s no answer from Birmingham Control as 20 ‘Regent’ tank wagons roll downhill slowly behind 92210, with a WR brake van at the rear.
(8) The down ‘Western’ (set 309) is well-patronised this morning. We stop him for about half a minute, waiting for the Tanks to clear.
(9) T39 follows the down ‘Western’. He’s got as good head of steam and is blowing off enthusiastically.
(10) The rain is sluicing down as the ‘Walsall’ goes up.
(11) The up ‘Western’ is offered behind him but, shortly after, the train is re-described as the Leamington. He rushes past towards Dudley.
(12) The ‘Walsall’ heads back to Walsall.
(13) T47 is offered on the up. 48514 is steaming well on the front end. The train has the customary mix of loads but, this morning, the Midland Tar Distillers tank wagons are split into three portions near the front of the train. T39 (42974) provides banking assistance.
(14) On the down, 48407 is the ‘Cuckoo’ engine, turned.
(15) The nine o’clock down is set 111; stopped a while.
(16) The up ‘Walsall’ is initially refused by Dudley while T47 clears.
(17) The Parcels is 46457 with an old-looking BG.
(18) T39 returns downhill to Great Bridge to bank another train.
(19) ‘WR1’ is offered on the down behind T39. ‘Class 8’ 48459 is on ‘WR1’ with four mineral wagons loaded with scrap, then a brake van, a ‘Hybar’ loaded with carboys, scrap in tube wagons, loads of coal and a second brake, ten loaded mineral wagons of coal, opens loaded with wire bales and a final brake van.
(20) A ‘Special’ comes up and into the Loop. 48734 is working well at the front with 40 loads of slack. T39, doing an extra banking turn, is helping at the rear. Great Bridge says “The banker wants water at Dudley”.
(21) The down ‘Western’ is set 302.
(22) 46457, tender first, takes his BG down to The Port, passing the up ‘Walsall’.
(23) The up ‘Western’ is still set 111.
(24) The up Dudley Port Parcels at 10.55 is two vans (detached from the down Stockport) and the BG.
(25) Dudley accepts the next freight up the Loop. It’s T65 with 44873 on a mixed train with a BR brake and T63 putting up a good performance banking.
(26) As T65 blasts uphill, T39 (now watered) drifts downhill tender-first with one plate wagon and a BR brake.
(27) Set 111 forms the down ‘Western’.
(28) Having left his train at Dudley, the Parcels engine, light for Bescot, follows the down ‘Western’.
(29) 48725 (T63) returns downhill, light engine to Great Bridge, after assisting T65 up to Dudley.
(30) Set 309 goes up to Dudley.
(31) The ‘Western’ DPU (3H47) passes on the down, carrying the odd WR headcode ‘P4’.
(32) We take on a ‘mystery’ light engine on the down. When it passes, we see it’s the engine off T47, turned.
(33) At noon, ‘WR1’ goes up the Loop. The fireman is leaning out of the cab gesticulating that he would have preferred main line. The load is 27 slack with a ‘Class 8’ (T63) banking.
(31) The down ‘Western’ is set 309.
(32) A ‘Westernised’ ‘Class 8’ takes his train up the main – a loaded tube wagon, BBC, tube wagon, BBC, tube wagon and WR brake.
(33) Dudley informs us that ‘WR1’ is now ‘stranded’ in the loop until two o’clock, because Round Oak has two trains waiting and no motive power to deal with them.
(34) Set 312 goes up at 12.38.
(35) The down ‘Western’ at one o’clock is set 111.
(36) The up ‘Walsall’ at 1.09 is now changed – vehicle 50534.
(37) The ‘Western’ DMU up at 1.16 is set 302.
(38) The banker (T63) clanks downhill after being stuck behind ‘WR1’ in the Loop. (39) At two o’clock, set 302 returns on the down for Snow Hill.
(40) The other ‘Western’, set 111, passes on the up at 2.15 p.m.
(41) Next, we have a down train of ‘EMWs’ (Empty Mineral Wagons) with a BR brake hurried along by ‘Black 5’ 44873.
(42) On the up, ‘WR2’ is another train of power station slack with an LMR brake. ‘8F’ 48424 is in charge with 48725 (T63) banking.
(43) Set 111 forms the three o’clock down ‘Western’.
(44) We get a telephone report: “WR2 is 2.02 Norton. The 2.0 p.m. special from Great Bridge is starting from Norton and left at 2.44”.
(45) Set 302 puts in another appearance on the up ‘Western’ at 3.20.
(46) The ‘Special’ comes up with a black exhaust from the train engine. It’s a dirty ‘5X’, 45555 ‘Quebec’, with a long train of slack and T63, the banker, really forging away behind the LMR brake van, getting the train up the Loop.
(47) We sneak the Parcels up to Dudley before T63 passes on the down, returning light engine to Bescot after doing two special banking turns.
(48) Another light engine on the down is the engine off the morning ‘Special’.
(49) The four o’clock down ‘Western’ is set 302.
(50) The up ‘Western’ at 4.15 p.m. is set 111.
(51) ‘Quebec’ passes on the down at 4.50, light engine. Control have the engine stopped at Great Bridge so that the crew can be asked if they’re willing to either take the Hartlebury’s forward or, alternately, bank the train which is just making up at Essington. I never found out how the crew responded, as that was the end of my period of observation.

East London Line

Set 378 150 entering Whitechapel with a Down Train

The East London Line has recently re-opened to passengers after a major rebuilding. Formerly operated by London Underground as a short line from Whitechapel to New Cross Gate, it has re-appeared as part of the 'London Overground' network. The route currently extends from Dalston Junction in the north via Whitechapel to New Cross Gate, joining Network Rail so as to allow trains to operate to Crystal Palace and West Croydon. There's a Wikipedia article on the line and its history here.

Bombardier have produced Class 378 trainsets for use on the East London Line and other parts of the London Overground. Another Wikipedia article here describes the variants - 378/0 3-car, 378/1 4-car d.c. and 378/2 4-car a.c./d.c.

My pictures here were taken just a few weeks after an intensive 5-minute headway service replaced the initial trial public running.

I have a professional interest in the East London Line because my firm produces Tunnel Telephone equipment for the Underground. This equipment provides a means of discharging traction current in an emergency and allowing speech between a driver in the tunnel and the line control room. We supplied the East London Line with similar equipment which protects the underground sections of the line.

Happy Birthday Thomas! (part 2)

The Battlefield Line celebrated Thomas's 65th birthday over five days. I've already briefly described the first weekend here.

Saturday, 1st May was the official birthday but I missed that (something about a turntable). I missed the 2nd of May as well, but I was Thomas's driver on Monday 3rd May as Adrian had kindly offered to share the day with me. I arrived around 6.30 a.m. and Adrian and Steve were just lighting up so I started oiling round. There was very little coal in the bunker so Adrian fired up 'Bo-Co' the diesel (actually a Class 25 so not quite right) and dragged Thomas to the north end of the station for coaling. Adrian used the loading shovel to fill the bunker and then propelled Thomas back to the inspection pit where we started from. I was able to complete the oiling and inspection while Thomas 'brewed up'. We were ready for 9.30 a.m. and took Thomas down to stand in the north end of the platform. This allowed 'Daisy' the DMU to follow us into the south end of the platform and load passengers for the first 'Daisy Shuttle' of the day. Once 'Daisy' was out of the way, we moved across to the waiting 5-coach train.

Thomas made light work of the journey to Shenton and back. 'Henry' took the second service to Shenton whilst Thomas was engaged in races and other entertainments around the station. We coupled to 'Daisy' for the third 'Daisy Shuttle' of the day.

Jan collects the Single Line Staff as Daisy pulls the third 'Shuttle' out of Shackerstone (photo: Sam Brandist)

There were more races and diversions whilst 'Henry' was 'down the line' with the third train of the day to Shenton.

By this time, the site was packed with visitors and not everybody had been able to join the Shenton train. It was decided that the following Shenton train would have to be reinforced to six coaches. Once Thomas was joined to 'Daisy' for the next shuttle, we moved onto the main line clear of the crossover. This allowed 'Bo-Co' to go into the DMU siding and attach the vehicles stabled there, including a green-liveried passenger coach buried at the back. 'Bo-Co' carefully 'pulled out' the string of vehicles until the passenger coach was clear of the crossover. With the crossover reversed, 'Bo-Co' propelled the vehicles towards Thomas, waiting with 'Daisy' on the main line. Once buffered-up to Thomas, the coach was coupled to Thomas, allowing the other end of the coach to be uncoupled. 'Bo-Co' could then take the other vehicles back through the crossover, and stable them in the DMU siding. In the meantime, the braking system on the coach was tested, using Thomas to create various levels of vacuum in the brake pipe whilst Adrian on the ground checked for correct response on the coach. Adrian then climbed into the far end of the coach to keep a lookout as the 'boxed in' Thomas propelled the coach into Platform 1, dragging 'Daisy' behind.

Thomas boxed-in by the Green Coach and 'Daisy'

'Bo-Co' came onto the Green coach from the north end and coupled on. Thomas then uncoupled ready for the next 'Shuttle' departure. Once 'Henry' arrived back from Shenton, Thomas and Daisy went down the line to Headley's Crossing. By the time the 'Shuttle' got back, Henry had moved away from the main train and 'Bo-Co' had attached the green coach to the other coaches and moved to the south end of the 6-coach train, ready to take the diesel-hauled round trip to Shenton.

The last Shenton train was 'Tea with Thomas' and Adrian took over as driver, giving me an early finish to a most enjoyable day.

My pictures taken on both weekends (plus a few Sam has let me use) are here.

Anatomy of another 'Jinty' is a collection of detail photographs of 47327. It's interesting to look at the similarities and differences between this locomotive and another member of the same class (47298) shown in Anatomy of a Jinty.